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Updated: Jun 10, 2026
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Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
Early educational placement and later language outcomes for children with cochlear implants
Jean Sachar Moog1, Ann E Geers
1Moog Center for Deaf Education, St. Louis, Missouri 63141, USA. jmoog@moogcenter.org
Summary
Early intervention for children with cochlear implants significantly boosts language skills. Combining parent-infant support with specialized classes by age two enhances spoken language development for improved school readiness.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric audiology
- Developmental linguistics
- Speech-language pathology
Background:
- Specialized preschool programs starting at age 3 improve language acquisition in children with cochlear implants.
- Earlier intervention before age 3 may further accelerate language development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how the type of preschool intervention impacts language scores at school entry for children with cochlear implants.
- To test the hypothesis that earlier and specific interventions enhance language acquisition rates.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of language test scores from 141 children (5-6 years old) across 39 listening and spoken language (LSL) programs in the US.
- Comparison of language outcomes based on interventions received before age 5: individual parent-infant intervention, LSL class with deaf children only, or LSL class with hearing peers.
- Children had used a cochlear implant for at least 1 year.
Main Results:
- The type of intervention at ages 1 and 2 years had a lasting positive impact on language development up to kindergarten.
- Children receiving a combination of cochlear implant use and parent-infant intervention at age 1, plus an LSL class with deaf peers at age 2, showed significantly higher probabilities of reaching normal language levels by kindergarten.
Conclusions:
- Cochlear implantation by age 1 year is recommended.
- Supplementing early parent-infant intervention with an intensive toddler class for spoken language development by age 2 is beneficial for children with hearing loss.
